2016: Wake Up And Draw!

Jack Kirby was one of my favorite creators of all time.

Today would have been Kirby’s 99th Birthday.

The Hero Initiative, the charitable organization dedicated to helping veteran comic creators in medical or financial need, is celebrating the 99th birthday of Jack “King” Kirby on August 28 with a little help from Jillian Kirby, founder of the Kirby4Heroes campaign.

More than fifty artists will get up on the morning of August 28, 2016 to simply “Wake Up and Draw.” This event is a way for artists to celebrate the day by sending a “birthday card to Jack.” All drawings will be featured in a special gallery at ComicArtFans.com, and fans can follow the action through the day on Twitter by searching #WakeUpAndDraw. All of the art will be auctioned to benefit Hero Initiative starting August 30, 2016.

Obviously, I did the same thing today, but not as part of the official auction, but instead as a fan and supporter. Hero Initiative and Kirby4Heroes are excellent charities…I’ve pointed readers in their direction before, and will continue to do so. Comics creators often have no real financial buffer or medical insurance…but spend their careers making the medium that we love so much. Both Hero Initiative and Kirby4Heroes help out creators in a tight spot, and I think that’s pretty awesome.

Jillian Kirby, Jack’s youngest granddaughter, has spearheaded the “Kirby4Heroes” campaign since 2012. Jillian has recruited a number of comic stores to donate a percentage of their sales to Hero on this special day. Individual fans can visit the official Kirby4Heroes campaign Facebook page and donate via the PayPal link at www.HeroInitiative.org. Please type in “Kirby4Heroes” in the special instructions box…it is apparently kind of important.

In my art for this, I wanted to directly reference Kirby’s work for DC Comics, which are some of my favorite comics EVER. I felt like I should have the protagonist wearing one of her old jackets, with its Kirby inspired design…and we all know that Pony’s tuning fork tiara is a direct Kirby homage. I also wanted something that had the crazy, creative energy of Jack’s work, and the positive outlook. It all came together pretty well, especially for a piece that I had to wake up and do quickly.

That’s it for today’s bonus post, True Believers. Hope you liked the art.